Page 48 of Her Reluctant Highlander Husband

“No. It’s not the agreement. It’s— I’ve met Captain Dorien Sutherland.” She looked at Dorie and then broke into a smile. “I know your father.”

Chapter Sixteen

Bryce was glad to be standing close to Dorie, for she looked like she might fall over at Mari’s announcement. “You know him?” he asked.

“I shouldn’t say I know him, exactly. But we’ve met. I was introduced to him and his wife when I lived in London.”

“What… What is he like?” Dorie asked timidly.

“He’s no longer a captain, for one thing. He’s a viscount. Viscount Rutherford. If I recall, he was a second or third son, but the elder brothers passed quite a while ago, so he’s had the title for some time now.”

“My father is a viscount?” Dorie’s voice cracked, and she swayed.

Bryce wrapped an arm around her waist, then guided her back to her seat and settled her next to Marian.

“Yes.” Mari tilted her head to the side, studying Dorie. “You look like him. Now that I know it, I see it clear as day. You have the same coloring. Same eyes.”

Dorie clenched her hands together in front of her chest. “What is he like?” she repeated. “Is he kind or is he…like the McCurdy?”

Mari’s brows creased as she shook her head. “I’ve only met him briefly, but he seemed a nice enough man.” She rested her index finger along her chin. “We could write to him if you wish.”

“Oh, yes. Please.”

Bryce cut in then. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He crossed his arms.

All eyes in the room landed on him as they waited for him to explain himself. It took a moment for him to figure out why he was opposed to the notion. He was as surprised as everyone else when he answered. “He may not acknowledge you, no matter how much you look alike. I’ll not have you reach out just to be brushed aside. It’s not worth it. You’ve been through enough already.”

She placed her hand on his and squeezed. “I haven’t been accepted by the man I called father for most of my life, so if this man doesn’t want to acknowledge me, I’ll not be any worse off.”

“I don’t want to see you hurt,” he said quietly, despite the other people in the room.

“But I will always wonder.” She gave him a look of longing, and he knew he couldn’t forbid her anything.

He understood why she would be willing to take a risk for a connection. He would want the same thing if he found himself in a similar situation. And someone like Dorie, who had spent years hoping for someone to love her, would not be stopped. Besides, he wasn’t an overbearing arse who would keep a woman from finding her real father.

He gave a nod—not that she actually required his approval.

“Excellent,” Mari said with a bright smile. “We’ll write to him after supper.”

…

Dorie could barely sit still through the evening meal. She was so excited she only managed to eat a few bites.

Bryce spared her an indulgent smile when they were finished eating and she jumped up to head to the solar that had been turned into a nursery. Would she and Bryce have a child here soon? She loved the way the sisters visited while the children played together. They were there when disputes broke out, and to rock the little ones to sleep for their naps. Since there were now more children than mothers, Dorie was happy to lend her arms where needed. But today she silently wished the children would cooperate with bedtime.

It seemed to take forever for Mari to have a moment to collect the things needed to send a letter to Dorie’s father. She tried her best to be patient since her friend had given birth to a rather large baby recently, but still wished she’d hurry. Dorie had so many questions, and so much to say to her father.

“What should we write?” Mari asked, quill poised at the paper.

All the words and questions seemed to flit right out of Dorie’s head as doubt crept in. What if Bryce was right and her father didn’t want to know her? What could she say to make him change his mind? She must think carefully and choose the perfect words.

It took them a few hours and many attempts to complete the letter to her father. In the end, she allowed Mari to take the lead and keep the letter to the facts instead of getting into too many details.

She hugged Mari as the letter was sealed and put aside to be sent out.

As Dorie walked to her chamber, she still couldn’t imagine being related to a viscount. She was still chatting about it when she and Bryce went to bed that night.

“A viscount. Do you think he’ll bother to write back? What if he has other children, and I’m just an annoyance?” She gasped. “If he has other children, then I’m a sister. By blood.”